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- 1

- The Johns Hopkins University

- Undergraduate Student Government Association Constitution

- Ratified: May 4, 2015

- Table of Contents

- ü Preamble

- ü Article I: Bill of Rights

- ü Article II: Name, Authority, and Membership

- ü Article III: Executive Branch

- ü Article IV: Legislative Branch

- ü Article V: Judicial Branch

- ü Article VI: Ad-hoc and Standing Committees

- ü Article VII: Elections

- ü Article VIII: Referenda

- ü Article IX: Removal Procedures and Vacancies

- Preamble

- We, the Undergraduates of the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and the Whiting School of

- Engineering, realizing the necessity for student self-governance and understanding the

- importance of strengthening student unity, representing student interests, and providing a forum

- for the exchange of ideas, hereby establish this Constitution.

- Article I: Bill of Rights

- All persons enrolled as undergraduates in the Homewood Divisions of the Zanvyl Krieger

- School of Arts and Sciences and the G.W.C. Whiting School of Engineering have equal rights as

- students under this Constitution, as do persons who may be extended such status by the Student

- Government Association.

- 1. The SGA will not restrict membership and/or activity by reason of age, citizenship,

- disability, gender, race, religion, political affiliation, or sexual orientation.

- 2. Students have a right to join any group chartered by the SGA.

- 3. Students have a right to run or to be appointed to the SGA, provided that they shall be a

- full-time undergraduate student, taking at least 12 undergraduate credits, throughout the

- following term of office.

- 4. Students have a right to attend all meetings of the SGA, and all minutes and proceedings

- of the SGA shall be open to student inspection, except those deemed secure by a closed

- session motion by the Senate.

- 5. Students have a right to veto any decisions reached by the SGA by means of student

- referenda.

- 6. Students have a right to free speech in all matters relating to the SGA. The spirit of this

- sentiment shall be extended to all student activities on the Homewood campus.

- Article II: Name, Authority, and Membership

- Section One: Name

- The official governing body of the Undergraduates shall be referred to as the Student

- Government Association (SGA).

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- Section Two: Purpose

- The purpose of the SGA is to protect and improve the rights, opportunities, and quality of life for

- every undergraduate student at the Johns Hopkins University.

- Section Three: Authority and Supremacy

- 1. The authority of SGA is derived from the students of the Johns Hopkins University and

- collectively recognized by the University President and other administrators.

- 2. This Constitution, Bylaws, and Senate Procedural Rules shall govern the SGA.

- 3. This Constitution shall supersede all other governing devices of student organizations,

- commissions, and committees.

- 4. The SGA shall be the principal representative body of the undergraduates of the Krieger

- and Whiting Schools.

- 5. No student group within the jurisdiction of the SGA shall enact a constitution, bylaws, or

- any legislation which conflicts or supersedes the authority of the SGA.

- Section Four: Membership

- 1. The SGA shall be composed of the legislative branch, executive branch, and judicial

- branch.

- 2. No student may serve as a member of more than one branch.

- 3. A student may run for or be appointed to an office, provided that they maintain a 2.5

- overall GPA and are a full-time undergraduate student throughout their term of office.

- a. Full-time undergraduate students are defined as a course load that includes 12 full

- time undergraduate credits.

- 4. Terms of Student Senate and Executive Branch members shall end on the date of annual

- inauguration ceremony of the new SGA, and the terms of their successors shall then

- begin.

- Article III: Executive Branch

- Section One: Structure and Basic Responsibilities

- The Executive Board shall serve as the internal governing body of the SGA. All executive power

- shall be invested in the Executive Branch. Such power involves day-to-day affairs of the SGA,

- and carrying out the instructions of the Senate. All executive officers serve as ex-officio

- members of the Senate, with the exception of the Vice President, who is the Presiding Officer,

- and who shall vote only in the case of a tie. The Executive Branch shall be composed of the

- following four members:

- 1. Executive President

- a. Shall serve as the spokesperson of the Student Body

- b. Shall ensure the efficient operation of the entire SGA and shall faithfully execute

- acts of the Senate

- c. Shall meet with representatives of the Dean of Student Life’s office on a regular

- basis

- d. Shall convene Executive Board meetings on a weekly basis

- 2. Executive Vice President

- a. Shall assist the President in all their duties

- b. Shall succeed the President in case of their impeachment or resignation

- c. Shall preside over the Senate and set its agenda

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- d. Shall accompany the Executive President to meetings with administrators when

- necessary

- 3. Executive Treasurer

- a. Shall work with the Finance Committee to formulate an annual budget for the

- SGA

- b. Shall assist with the funding and/or recognition process of student groups

- c. Shall act as the financial officer of the SGA, keeping al of its ledgers and

- coordinating with the Finance Committee

- 4. Executive Secretary

- a. Shall be responsible for maintenance of all SGA email lists and shall serve as the

- point of contact for all SGA communications.

- b. Shall keep detailed minutes of each meeting and shall take a roll call of

- attendance and votes.

- c. Shall maintain the SGA website and social media and ensure it is up-to-date

- Article IV: Legislative Branch

- Section One: Structure

- The Legislative Branch shall be composed of the Student Senate and shall meet at least once a

- week.

- 1. The Senate shall be presided over by the Vice President, who shall have a vote only when

- a tie exists.

- 2. The Senate shall have 28 members, 7 of whom shall be elected from each class for a one-

- year term, and each shall have one vote and the power to introduce legislation.

- 3. The top six candidates who gain the most votes shall be elected as Senators.

- 4. There shall be a separate Class President position, who shall be the primary class

- representative and must run as a separate position on the ballot, but still be a Senator for

- the intent of the Senate.

- Section Two: Basic Responsibilities

- 1. All legislative power shall be invested in the Senate.

- 2. The Senate shall deal with all matters of policy, both internal and external, relating to the

- undergraduates of the university.

- 3. The Senate shall pass an annual Rules Bill to govern special rules of each session.

- 4. The Senate shall have jurisdiction over but not limited to: the appointment process of

- groups and finance, constitutional affairs, student life, academic affairs.

- 5. Proxy voting is not allowed; members must be physically present in meeting in order to

- vote.

- 6. The Senate, in the spirit of open meetings, shall keep all votes public and shall only enter

- Closed Session to deliberate upon Impeachment and other sensitive matters deemed

- necessary by the Senate.

- 7. All documents, minutes and proceedings of the Senate shall be open to the public for

- inspection, except those from closed meetings.

- Section Three: Attendance

- 1. The Class President and Senators shall have specific duties, as outlined in the Bylaws.

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- 2. Each SGA member is granted excused absences for the Senate, Committee or Class

- Council meetings. The Executive Vice President, Class President, or Committee Chair

- shall grant these excused absences.

- a. If a member of the SGA misses 2 unexcused meetings per semester, they are

- automatically subject to impeachment.

- b. If the member misses a total of 4 unexcused meetings per semester, they are

- automatically removed from the SGA.

- 3. The annual Rules Bill will specify the process by which an “unexcused” or “excused”

- absence will be determined.

- Section Four: Special Rules

- 1. All SGA meetings are open to the public except meetings that are closed by 2/3 (two-

- thirds) of the Senate.

- Article V: Judicial Branch

- Section One: Structure

- The Judicial Branch shall have jurisdiction on all matters relating to the SGA, including SGA-

- approved groups.

- 1. Judicial shall be an independent branch, composed of five Justices, who shall elect a

- Chief Justice amongst them.

- 2. Appointments to Judicial shall be proposed by the SGA President, upon the advice of the

- senate, and subject to the approval of 2/3 (two-thirds) of the Senate.

- Section Two: Basic Responsibilities

- 1. Provided that Justices remain full-time undergraduates of KSAS or WSE, they shall serve

- their term until resignation.

- a. Membership of the Judicial Branch is detailed in Article 2, Section 4:

- Membership

- b. Resignations of Judicial Branch members shall follow the details in Article IX.

- 2. Shall be responsible for interpreting the Constitution and Bylaws, enforcing election

- procedures, and serve as the final avenue of appeal for all matters relating to the SGA.

- 3. The Judicial Branch shall operate according to its own Rules and Guidelines.

- Section Three: Judicial Branch Decisions

- 1. Decisions made by the Judicial Branch on matters relating to the Senate, Executive

- Board, or election procedures may be encouraged for reconsideration by a student

- referendum.

- a. In such an instance, the referendum may be approved by either a 2/3 (two-thirds)

- vote from the Senate or from a petition containing signatures from 15% of the

- undergraduate student body.

- Article VI: Ad-hoc and Standing Committees

- Section One: Standing Committees

- 1. Each committee shall choose its chair, as per the Bylaws.

- 2. The number and type of committees of the Senate shall be established in the Bylaws.

- 3. The duties and responsibilities of these committees shall be established in the Bylaws.

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- 4. Membership in all committees may be open to students at large, subject to restrictions in

- the Bylaws.

- a. Such students may take part in all committee matters, with the expressed

- exception of voting.

- 5. Committees, as per the Bylaws, may submit recommendations to the full Senate. Such

- recommendations are not binding themselves, and must be approved or denied by the

- body.

- 6. The Vice-President shall, at the first Senate meetings, following the Bylaws, sort

- Senators into committees subject to confirmation by the Senate.

- Section Two: Ad-hoc Committees

- 1. The Senate may, by a 2/3 vote, convene ad-hoc committees to deal with matters of great

- importance. Such committees will expire at the end of an academic semester.

- Article VII: Elections

- Section One: Structure and Membership

- All election authority shall be invested in the Committee on Student Elections, hereafter referred

- to as the CSE.

- 1. The CSE shall be composed of seven members who shall each have an equal vote and

- who shall choose their own chairperson.

- 2. Current SGA members are ineligible to be members of the CSE.

- 3. CSE members shall serve for one academic year.

- Section Two: Basic Responsibilities

- 1. The CSE shall operate according to its own Constitution and Election Rules and shall be

- free from SGA interference during election periods.

- a. Such rules may limit free speech rights of candidates during election periods, but

- not in a manner that disrupts a campaign atmosphere.

- 2. The SGA Judiciary shall handle appeals of CSE decisions.

- Article VIII: Referenda

- Section One: Purpose

- A campus-wide referendum shall advise the Johns Hopkins administration on a specific issue or

- policy based on the will of the undergraduate community. A referendum shall be held if 2/3

- (two-thirds) of the Senate votes to hold one.

- Section Two: Petitioning a Referendum

- 1. A referendum may be approved after a petition is successfully completed, presented to

- the SGA, and approved by a 2/3 vote of representatives. A petition is deemed valid if it

- contains the signatures of at least 15% of the student body that knowingly consent to the

- sentiment of the proposed referendum.

- 2. No student referendum nor SGA act may influence the conduct of a group or inhibit its

- right to expression, except if their conduct violates university regulations or local, state or

- federal laws.

- Section Three: Administering Referenda

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- If a petition wins the right to a referendum, a referendum shall be administered over a well-

- advertised window via online voting software with statements advocating each side of the issue

- at hand.

- 1. Any referendum that receives a plurality of votes shall become binding to the SGA.

- a. A referendum is considered to have plurality when more respondents vote “yes”

- than “no” and the total number of students who voted yes amounts to at least 1/3

- (one-third) of the undergraduate student body.

- b. Votes in abstentions shall not count towards plurality.

- Section Four: Referenda for a Constitutional Amendment

- This Constitution may be amended by a student referendum:

- 1. Any member of the Senate may propose an amendment to the Constitution via student

- referendum. Said referendum must first be supported with a 3/4 vote of the Senate and

- shall become binding upon completion of the steps detailed under Article IX, Section

- Three.

- Article IX: Removal Procedures and Vacancies

- Section One: Recall

- 1. The Vice President shall hold a recall election for any SGA member upon receipt of a

- petition that contains a 50-word justification for recall and the signatures of no less than

- 1/3 of students eligible to vote for the position in question.

- 2. The Vice President shall hold a recall election within two weeks of their receipt of the

- recall petition.

- 3. All students eligible to vote in an election for the position in question shall be eligible to

- vote in the recall election.

- 4. A 3/4 of vote may remove the representative from office.

- Section Two: Resignation

- 1. Any member of the SGA may resign by submitting a statement of resignation to the

- President.

- Section Three: Removal

- 1. Impeachments may be carried out for serious breaches of the Constitution and Bylaws,

- breaches of University, local, state, and federal laws or for a lack of good behavior.

- 2. Charges of impeachment against any member of the SGA shall be brought in the

- following ways:

- a. Any member of SGA may introduce impeachment charges, provided that they

- collect the signatures of at least one-third of the Senate membership and present

- them to the Vice-President at a meeting of the Senate.

- b. Upon receipt of said document, an impeachment hearing shall be scheduled at

- least one week after the receipt of charges, and no later than three weeks later.

- Section Four: Impeachment Process

- 1. Members with clear conflicts of interest are asked to recuse themselves from

- impeachment proceedings.

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- 2. Impeachment hearings shall be closed, and the accused shall have time to provide their

- defense. At no point shall the accused take part in any deliberation whatsoever.

- 3. After the accused has left the room, the Senate shall deliberate and then vote to remove

- the member in question.

- 4. Secret ballots shall be used, with no identifying marks.

- 5. A 2/3 vote of the entire Senate is needed to remove the member. If in the affirmative, the

- member shall be thanked for their service and dismissed.

- Section Five: Senatorial Vacancy

- 1. The remaining members of the class shall solicit for applicants and choose a new Senator,

- per the Bylaws. The Senate must confirm this applicant.

- Section Six: Class Presidential Vacancy

- 1. The remaining members of the class shall solicit for applicants and choose a new Senator,

- per the Bylaws. The Senate must confirm this applicant.

- Section Seven: Executive Board Vacancy

- 1. The Vice President shall succeed the Executive President.

- 2. In the case of a vacancy in any other executive position, the Executive President shall

- propose three current SGA members, and the Senate shall, by secret ballot, choose one to

- fill the vacancy.